Histadrut Leader Heads Israel’s Group at “mediterranean Conference”

Reuven Barkatt, Histadrut leader, was today named chairman of the Israeli delegation which will attend the “Mediterranean Conference” which opens in Florence, Italy, tomorrow.

The naming of Barkatt as chairman followed a communication from Girogio la Pira, former Mayor of Florence and sponsor of the parley, that Arab delegates had threatened to withdraw if the Israel Foreign Ministry sent official delegates to the parley.

At first it was thought that Israel would withdraw the names of two of its delegates, Foreign Ministry officials Reuven Shiloah and Maurice Fischer, but later it was decided that they would be invited in their personal, not their official, capacities and another Israeli, not associated with the Foreign Ministry, would head the Israeli unit. Dr. Nahum Goldmann also received a personal invitation.